William Plunkett, PhD, Oral History Interview, May 08, 2013
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Description
Major Topics Covered:
- The Department of Experimental Thereutics: origin of; strategic plan for; training initiatives; department culture
- MD Anderson’s Conflict Resolution Process
- Research Integrity Officer: roles; cases, research issues; ethics
- MD Anderson executive leadership: views on
Identifier
PlunkettW_03_20130508
Publication Date
5-8-2013
Publisher
The Historical Resources Center, Research Medical Library, The University of Texas Cancer Center
City
Houston, Texas
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Topics Covered
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas System. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute
Disciplines
History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Oncology | Oral History
Recommended Citation
Plunkett, William PhD and Rosolowksi, Tacey A. PhD, "William Plunkett, PhD, Oral History Interview, May 08, 2013" (2013). Interview Sessions. 188.
https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewsessions/188
Conditions Governing Access
Open
About the Interview
About the Interview Subject:
William Plunkett, Ph.D. (b. Boston, 4 May 1943), came to MD Anderson in 1975 as an Assistant Biochemist in the Department of Developmental Therapeutics. He joined the faculty of that Department as an Assistant Professor later that year. He is now a full professor in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics and has a joint appointment in the Department of Leukemia. Dr. Plunkett’s research has focused on the study of the cellular mechanisms of tumor viability. He has examined the roles of nucleoside analogues, fludarabine and gemcitabine, as well as mechanisms of cell apoptosis. His translational collaborations result in innovative strategies to kill tumor cells. He a co-director of the Moon Shot Program devoted to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
Since 2008 Dr. Plunkett has served as Deputy Chair of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics. Prior to this, from 1993−2004 he served as Chief of the Section of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, then as the Department’s Director of Research Development from 2005−2008.
Original Interview Profile #35: William Plunkett, Ph.D.
Submitted by: Tacey A. Rosolowski, Ph.D.
Date revised: 9 July 2014
Dr. William Plunkett, Ph.D. (b. Boston, 4 May 1943), Deputy Chair of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, is interviewed over three sessions (approximately 6 hours 31 minutes). Dr. Plunkett came to MD Anderson in 1975 as an Assistant Biochemist in the Department of Developmental Therapeutics and joined the faculty of that Department as an Assistant Professor later that year. He now holds the Barnts Family Distinguished Chair for Cancer Research as well as a joint appointment in the Department of Leukemia. The interview sessions take place in Dr. Plunkett’s office on the South Campus of MD Anderson. Tacey A. Rosolowski, Ph.D. is the interviewer.
Dr. Plunkett received his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Springfield College, Springfield, MA (1965) and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1970). He went on to a Research Fellowship in Physiology at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (6/1967−9/1967), a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Therapeutic Research at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (1970−1971), and then took a position as a Research Associate in Microbiology at the University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver (1972−1975). Since coming to MD Anderson, Dr. Plunkett’s work has focused on the study of the cellular mechanisms that control tumor viability, using this knowledge to develop innovative strategies to kill tumor cells. From 1993−2004 he served as Chief of the Section of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, then as the Department’s Director of Research Development from 2005−2008, prior to his role as Deputy Chair.
Dr. Plunkett has been elected the chairman of the Gordon Research Conference on Purines & Pyrimidines, and as President of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He is the recipient of the Service to Mankind Award from the Leukemia Society of America, the Faculty Achievement Award for Clinical Research from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and the 1st Sowell-Huggins Professorship in Cancer Research from the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
In this interview, Dr. Plunkett goes into detail about the evolution of his investigations into the cell mechanisms of tumors. He begins with his work on the nucleoside analogues fludarabine and gemcitabine, which are taken up into tumors cells, then interfere with their DNA synthesis, eventually killing those cells. He also discusses his recent work on apoptosis, the intrinsic mechanisms by which a tumor cell programs its own death.[1] His discussion of research reveals his own attitudes toward collaborative work: Dr. Plunkett frequently notes that collaboration and collegiality can advance scientific work. Dr. Plunkett is also a keen observer of institutional change he explains the processes by which divisions and departments have been reorganized and changed under different leadership. Dr. Plunkett also explains his recent role as MD Anderson’s Institutional Research Integrity Officer (and comments on ethical issues within the institution). Also explains his role as co-director of the Moon Shot Program devoted to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia under Dr. Ronald DePinho.